Hold Me Softly (Never Let Go)
by jacobluver113
Summary: Jacob is caught enslaved, owned by a cruel and dangerous master. He must learn to tread softly, especially if he is to see his mate survive a fate worse than death.
1. Prologue

Prologue

Red.

All I could see was red.

From the blood that was splattered everywhere, soaking into the dirty sand and stone walls that enclosed him. I just couldn't look away. The collar wrapped tightly around my throat felt so much tighter than before. Even more hotter than before and I quickly realized that I was panting harshly, near hyperventilation.

I caught movement from the corner of my eyes. Just a flash of sandy gold and alabaster white. And then red as he turned his gaze to me.

"I want you to watch. Don't you dare turn away from him as he's ripped apart."

Before I could even think of a response, he turned away from me, his hard stare now resting back to the bloody sands, his hands tightening around the cold metal chain attached to my collar. And I couldn't help but obey him.

As I stared down into the arena for a brief moment, our eyes met. His were burning with fire and fight. I couldn't even begin to tell what mine held. And even as we gazed at each other unblinkingly, with the blood dripping down from his body and his claws, his eyes spoke to me as clearly as if he shouted them from his very lips.

 _I love you._

And all I saw was red.

 **So...I'm back! I have been gone for so so so so so so so so so so long and I am so so so so so so so so so sorry! But I am back with a story that will hopefully get me out of this writing funk I've been in for like, 2 years!**

 **Anyways, I just want to let everyone know that this work is heavily inspired by Spartacus. And if you haven't seen that show, please go and watch it! It as AMAZING! NAGRON FOR LIFE!**

 **Anyways, please enjoy and review!**


	2. Chapter 1 War

Chapter 1

War

"Paul, stop it!"

I couldn't help but laugh as I fell against the wall, my laugh turning into a small groan as lips grazed my chin and trailed down to nibble at my ear. I rested my hands upon his chest, my blunt nails digging into his tunic. A delicious nip pushed another groan from me. "Paul," I whined. A throaty chuckle rumbled from his chest, vibrating into my hands and straight through me.

"But I really don't want to right now, with you in my arms." He pulled himself back enough to look at me. His gaze was dark with lust and mischief. I couldn't hold back my affection as I wrapped my arms around his neck and pecked his warm lips. He gave me another chuckle as his hands fell against my hips, his fingers gently pressing into my flesh. "I thought you wanted me to stop," he rumbled.

"Mmm, I do," I said as I trailed my hands down to his stomach, the hard muscles there twitching at the contact. The muscles I knew quite intimately.

"Then I guess I should stop then, lest I give into your delicious flesh and ravage you right here in the streets."

I glanced away from him to finally take in our surroundings for the first time since he pushed me against the wall. We were currently in a small alcove, hidden away from the public eye of our bustling village. I watched as people ran about this way and that, attending to their business of the day. Children were running around without a care in the world. It wasn't any different than any other day.

But this day…

This day was completely different than any other. I released a heavy sigh and held onto Paul just a little tighter. For after today, Paul would be miles and miles away. The constant wars in the west were raging, getting closer and closer to home every day. The Volturi were getting stronger and stronger. A band of vampires that threatened to take over half the country. But the Cullens would never let that happen.

The Cullens were the strongest coven in the entire world. Their empire reached over half the globe. They had thousands upon thousands of members within their little vampire family. But the leaders, the ones who built the empire from the ground up, were the worst of them all. They were savage in their ways, conquering and owning everything in their path. Even innocent people. Especially if they were wolves like us.

My village, among many others in our land, were shapeshifters. We were able to take on the form of a wolf and the Cullen coven loved to own us, keeping us as slaves to do as they say. Be it housework, or be it a more carnal desire of the flesh. They even enslaved wolves to fight against one another to the death. Oh yes, they loved their blood.

But my present concern was that Paul was to join a small group of men from our village and fight alongside the army the Cullens have forged against the growing number of the Volturi. I was very uneasy about this. We were trusting the Cullens to honor their word and leave our village alone. Their words were worth piss and shit. But the Volturi were a constant threat to every wolf and human in their way. And we were right in the middle of their path. To fight was our only option for survival.

A gentle kiss to my cheek brought me back sharply to the present. Paul was smiling down at me, his dark eyes twinkling.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked.

"I don't want you to leave," I answered honestly, my face set into an angry pout. I watched as his eyes darkened, his mood following in an instant. He rested his hand on my cheek, his palm warm. I turned into it, giving the center a chaste kiss before resting my face against it and turning my eyes back to his,

"I know, sweetheart," he said slowly, softly. "But you and I both know that this is the only way to keep our village, our families, safe."

I shook my head.

"You and I both know that the Cullens cannot be trusted."

Paul just looked at me, his face growing in sadness and a little pain. I had known Paul since we were small pups. He was my very best friend all the way up into our teen years. He was but seventeen and I fifteen when he first kissed me, professing his love for me right there on the sandy beaches of the ocean running alongside our little town. We've been inseparable ever since.

"Whether we trust the Cullens is a moot point, Jake," he responded softly. His hands were now running up and down my sides, the flesh worn from years of hard manual labor. "The Volturi are coming our way no matter what happens. It's better to fight them with extra forces with us, than to fight them alone, where we have a guarantee of losing everything we hold dear."

His eyes shut for a moment as he paused and I knew he was thinking of me. I still shook my head, but I knew he was right. Either way, we were going to have to fight, but I knew within the very marrow of my being that the Cullens were not to be trusted.

"So let the other men go in your stead, then," I countered. "Let them fight and you and I will never have to be parted." His somber face broke for a moment, a smile breaching his handsome face.

"And let them have all the fun of ripping the bloodsuckers apart?" he joked.

My scowl deepened. This wasn't funny.

He pulled me sharply into him, not even giving me a chance to move away.

"I promise you everything will be okay," he finally responded softly.

"Don't make promises you can't keep," I whispered. He didn't respond. We continued to hold each other as long minutes stretched by, people in the streets not giving us a moment's glance.

"Okay," Paul breathed softly after a moment. "Okay, I promise you when I get back that you'll finally have that wedding you've been dreaming of for so long now."

I pulled back from him quickly, my eyes burning holes into his. I saw nothing but genuine sincerity.

"What?" I whispered. Slowly, oh so slowly, Paul dropped down to his knees before me. He never looked away.

"Jacob Black, would you do me the greatest honor of becoming my husband and mate? Until the afterlife calls for us?"

His words never wavered as he spoke. His strong fingers were digging into my hips as he kept me steady and I suddenly realized I was starting to sway back and forth. I couldn't respond, for words fled my mind in an instant. We could never afford a proper wedding. There was only so much that a young farm boy and fisherman could afford. He knew that. I knew that. If not for the money, we would already be married the first moment he kissed me on the beach six years ago.

"I know I can't give you the proper wedding you deserve, but I promise you, baby, when I get back, I will take you in front of the alter as my husband. As my proper mate." One of his hands released me as he dug into the fold of his tunic, pulling out a small item. His palm opened and my eyes widened at what I saw he was holding.

It was a ring, small and made of a rich smooth wood. It was absolutely beautiful. There were intricate carvings into it. In the very center were two wolves, face to face, muzzles close together in an almost kiss. Their wooden eyes were staring deeply into one another's. Paul kissed my stomach through my tunic as he returned my shocked gaze.

"I love you, Jake," he said, his one hand on my hip giving me a quick squeeze. "I love you and I want everyone to know that we belong to each other. And I want to make an honest man out of you. So, what do you say, baby? Will you be mine? Officially?"

My eyes grew wet and all I could do was give a jerky nod yes. His smile brought my heart to fluttering, rivaling the very sun with its brightness. My hands were shaking as he slipped the ring over my finger. It already felt like it belonged there. And it really did.

When he brought himself to his full height, I couldn't help but throw myself at him, causing him to press against the opposite wall. He let out a loud and throaty laugh as I kissed every inch of exposed skin I could reach.

"I love you so much, Paul Lahote," I groaned loudly. My inner wolf was absolutely elated, jumping up and down as I kissed my mate. I finally forced myself to take a small step back to look at him. "And when you get back, I want to officially be yours. And you mine." He gave me a dazzling smile in return.

"I promise you," he grinned. He pulled me back into him and kissed the tip of my nose. "Now, am I able to finish what I started a few minutes ago?"

I gave him a quick nod, and with that, he attacked my throat with teeth and lips. And as he dragged me a bit further into our little alcove, I tried my best to ignore him leaving tomorrow. I tried to ignore that his very life was at stake if he failed. And I tried to forget about our enemies, who were threatening to rip us apart, right on the other side of our door.


	3. Chapter 2 Attack

"You know he's okay, right?"

I sighed heavily as I walked alongside my best friend. Embry and I have known each other since we were in diapers together. We confided everything into one another. He was more like a brother than a friend, really. And he always knew what was on my mind. I ran my fingers over my ring, now clasped around my neck, where it will stay until Paul could place it around my finger properly when he returned.

 _If he returned_.

"Stop it."

I finally looked at my friend. His eyes were wide and earnest. We were walking alongside the beach, the water washing over our bare toes. We stopped by a driftwood tree and just stared out over the horizon.

"Can you blame me?" I asked him as we sat down on a low hanging branch. It's been seven months since Paul left. Seven long and tortuous months of me wondering if this day would be his last or the next. I treasured every letter I got from him, storing them away in a locked box in my room. His last message, though, was received almost two and a half months ago. Way too long in my opinion.

"I guess I can't," Embry responded. I sighed heavily and leaned against him, my head resting upon his shoulder. "But if you keep this up, you'll be driven mad-"

"I'm already being driven mad!" I shouted. "I was going mad the minute he decided to part us!"

"To protect you," he interrupted. I couldn't help but scoff. Roughly, he turned to me, but gently took my cheeks in his warm hands. He forced me to look him in the eye as he spoke softly and concisely. "He left, so that he could protect you. He left, so that the both of you could have a future worth having. He left, Jacob, be cause he loves you."

I felt hot tears fall as he spoke and a small whine escaped me. Embry brushed them away with his thumbs, his eyes not judging me for an instant. With another whine, I grabbed onto him tightly and pulled him into an embrace. We sat in silence as long minutes stretched out between us. And suddenly, harsh reality settled into my bones, making me shake, as I realized that my world was slowly closing in on me.

"I'm off," I said as I passed my father, who was currently cleaning his catch from earlier this morning, the stench of fish rank in the air. He glanced up at me before returning to his work.

"Don't be too long," he said softly. "I'll need your help with taking some of this to the market to sell later today."

I nodded before leaning down to place a kiss on his cheek and headed out the door. It has been another month sine I last heard from Paul, but I refused to think of the worst. Paul was out there fighting for us. And it was the least I could do to not only keep my mind busy from wandering, but to also earn some money for you upcoming wedding. After all, I was an amazing fisher.

I walked with hook and rod to my little boat, already loaded with nets and baskets. As I was about to shove off, a piercing howl broke through the silence of the warm day. I couldn't help but pause. That howl not sitting right with me at all. I walked slowly away from my boat, towards the thicket of tress framing my house. I strained my ears, but I couldn't her a single thing. The very air was still and silent.

Suddenly, a shrill cry broke the air, but I saw a wolf breaking the tree line and running towards the water. I couldn't help, but watch as a pale figure darted out to follow, easily overtaking the wolf. He pounced on its back just before sinking sharp fangs into the fur of its neck, still the wolf immediately. I sucked in a breath as the pale head looked up, locking red eyes onto me and I just knew.

We were under attack.


End file.
